Rue McClanahan
Known for: Acting
A veteran television actress and Broadway star of the 50s, Rue McClanahan was an actress noticed by television executive, Norman Lear. Lear cast her in a number of television shows, including "All in the Family" (1971) with 'Carroll OConnor' and "Maude" (1972) with Bea Arthur. McClanahan next co-starred with Vicki Lawrence, Ken Berry, Betty White and Carol Burnett in "Mama's Family" (1983) for three years, and after it was canceled by NBC, McClanahan was probably best known for her role as the saucy, sharp southern belle, Blanche, in "The Golden Girls" (1985). She once again worked with Bea Arthur and Betty White, and with relative newcomer Estelle Getty. All four of the women won Emmy Awards for their roles. After Bea Arthur left the show after eight seasons, McClanahan, White and Getty returned for a brief spin-off in "The Golden Palace" (1992). In the mid-nineties, McClanahan was diagnosed with cancer, but was able to fight it successfully. In addition to lending her talents to a number of made for TV films, McClanahan has also appeared on the big screen in recent years co-starring with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in the comedy Out to Sea (1997) and with Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers (1997). McClanahan also spends her time joining and helping organizations against cancer, AIDS, and cruelty against animals.
Filmography
Series
Law & Order
Lois McIntyre
1990
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
Columbo
Verity Chandler
1971
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Series
King of the Hill
Bunny (voice)
1997
Series
Murder, She Wrote
Miriam Radford
1984
Series
The View
Self
1997
Series
The Love Boat
April Dunlevy
1977
Series
The Love Boat
Mary Hubble
1977
Series
The Love Boat
Doris Simpson
1977
Series
The Love Boat
Laura Thornton Hayes
1977
Series
Mannix
1967
Series
Great Performances
Josey Finn
1971
Series
Great Performances
Cora
1971
Series
Great Performances
Faye Precious
1971
Series
Touched by an Angel
Amelia Archibald
1994
Series
Touched by an Angel
Lila Winslow
1994
Series
The Golden Girls
Blanche Devereaux
1985
Series
Alice
1976
Series
Spider-Man
Mrs. Hardy (voice)
1994
Series
Newhart
1982
Series
Fantasy Island
Gertie Lawton
1978
Series
Lou Grant
1977
Series
Trapper John, M.D.
1979
Series
Intimate Portrait
Self
1993
Series
Empty Nest
Blanche Devereaux
1988
The Tony Danza Show
Self
2004
Series
Boy Meets World
Bernice Matthews
1993
Series
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Self
2009
Series
Charles in Charge
Irene Pembroke
1984
Series
All in the Family
Ruth Rempley
1971
Series
The John Larroquette Show
Rue McClanahan
1993
Series
Hope & Faith
Sylvia
2003
Series
Maude
Vivian Harmon
1972
Series
Maude
1972
Series
Mama's Family
Frances Marie Crowley
1983
Series
Crazy like a Fox
Angie
1984
Series
Burke's Law
Jinxy Duke
1994
Series
Gimme a Break!
1981
Series
Promised Land
Valerie Carter
1996
Film
Starship Troopers
Biology Teacher
1997
Series
Remember WENN
Dusty Foxx
1996
Series
Where the Heart Is
Margaret Jardin #2
1969
Series
Cover Up
1984
Series
The Golden Palace
Blanche Devereaux
1992
Series
Nurses
Blanche Devereaux
1991
Series
American Playhouse
1982
Series
Wonderfalls
Millie Marcus
2004
Series
Love Boat: The Next Wave
Abigail Jordan
1998
Series
Ladies Man
Aunt Lou
1999
Series
Another World
Caroline Johnson
1964
Series
Supertrain
Ms. Rick
1979
Series
Whoopi
Marian
2003
$weepstake$
1979
Series
Here's Boomer
Thelma
1981
Series
Darkroom
1981
Series
The Lot
Priscilla Tremaine
1999
Film
The Earth Day Special
Blanche Devereaux
1990
Series
Sordid Lives: The Series
Peggy Ingram
2008
Grandpa Goes to Washington
1978
Film
Rainbow
Ida Koverman
1978
Film
Miracle Dogs
Katherine Mannion
2003
Safe Harbor
Grandma Loring
1999
Film
The Fighting Temptations
Nancy Stringer
2003
Film
To My Daughter
Laura Carlson
1990
Film
Out to Sea
Mrs. Ellen Carruthers
1997
Film
Generation Gap
Kay
2008
Film
This World, Then the Fireworks
Mom Lakewood
1997
Film
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
Self
2002
Film
Blade
Gail
1973
Series
Apple Pie
Ginger-Nell Hollyhock
1978
Film
Night of 100 Stars III
Self
1990
Film
Picnic
Flo Owens
1986
Film
Dear God
Mom Turner
1996
Film
Mickey's 60th Birthday
Self
1988
Film
Annabelle's Wish
Scarlett (voice)
1997
Film
Message from Nam
Beatrice Andrews
1993
Film
The Dreamer of Oz
Matilda Joslyn Gage
1990
Film
Baby of the Bride
Margaret Becker Hix
1991
Film
They Might Be Giants
Daisy Playfair
1971
Series
Golden Girls 3033
Blanche Devereaux (voice) (archive sound)
2022
Film
Betty White: First Lady of Television
Self (archive Footage)
2018
Film
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
Mat's Mother
1978
Film
Gridlock
Adele Sherman
1980
Film
The Day the Bubble Burst
Barbara Arvey
1982
Film
Rusty: A Dog's Tale
Edna Callahan
1998
Film
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship
Self / Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
2025
Film
Help Save Planet Earth
Self
1990
Film
Mother of the Bride
Margaret Becker Hix
1993
Take My Daughters, Please
Lilah Page
1988
Film
Gaze
Self (archive footage)
2010
Film
Back to You & Me
Helen Ludwick
2005
Film
A Different Approach
1978
Film
The Man in the Brown Suit
Suzy Blair
1989
Film
Innocent Victims
Marylou Hennis
1996
Film
Children of the Bride
Margaret Becker
1990
Film
A Saintly Switch
Aunt Fanny
1999
Film
The Women
Countess DeLage
2002
Film
The Wickedest Witch
Avarissa
1989
Film
The Skin of Our Teeth
Fortune Teller
1983
Film
The People Next Door
Della
1970
Film
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
2003
Film
Five Minutes to Live
Pamela
1961
Film
After the Shock
Sherra Cox
1990
Film
The Golden Girls: Ageless
Self (archive footage)
2021
Film
The Little Match Girl
Frances Dutton
1987
Liberace
Frances Liberace
1988
Film
A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story
Grandma Stephens
1994
Film
The Moving of Sophia Myles
Mary-Margaret
2000
Film
Hogan's Goat
Josey Finn
1971
Film
Topper
Clara Topper
1979
Film
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1989
Film
Word of Honor
Maggie McNeill
1981
Film
The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
Self / Blanche Devereaux
2003
Film
Having Babies III
Gloria Miles
1978
Film
Modern Love
Mrs. Evelyn Parker
1990
Film
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
Blanche Devereaux
2021
Film
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
Film
Some of My Best Friends Are...
Lita Joyce
1971
Film
Nunsense
Rev. Mother Mary Regina
1993
Film
Nunsense 2: The Sequel
Rev. Mother Superior Sister Mary Regina
1994
Film
The Rimers of Eldritch
Cora Groves
1972
Film
A Holiday to Remember
Miz Leona / Clay's Aunt
1995
Border to Border
Mrs. Kirby
1998
The Grass Eater
1961
Film
Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula
Self
1997
Film
Hollywood After Dark
Sandy
1961
Film
Angel's Flight
Dolly
1965
Film
Nunsense 3: The Jamboree
Mother Superior
1998
Film
Rue McClanahan: The Cat Care Video Guide
Herself
1990
Just Between Us
1961
Film
Five Minutes to Love
Sally 'Poochie'
1963
How to Succeed with Girls
Lorena (as Patty Leigh)
1964
Film
Nuncrackers
Reverend Mother
2001